Barcelona

The paths, which surround the funnel craters, are marked with small, circular concrete slabs. Here you cannot help but notice the 42 olive trees (Olea europaea) of a certain shape, size and age, whose twisted trunks fill this circular symphony that is the park.
Another distinctive feature is the massive presence of a very common species of grass on the slopes, edges and between the cultivated patches, occupying a 4,640 m² of the park: fescue ( Festuca). Other circular spaces greet you with white- and rose-flowered abelias (Abelia x grandiflora) brought from Parc del Laberint d’Horta, where they have adapted perfectly.
As you walk round, you will see circular, grass-covered areas alternating with other areas planted with tamarisks (Tamarix africana), which also appear as shrubs and combined with ivy (Hedera helix), as a covering surface. The children’s play area boasts a holm oak (Quercus ilex), while coojongs (Acacia cyanophylla), cherry plum trees (Prunus cerasifera atropurpurea variety), pine trees (Pinus pinea) and a few tamarisks complete the circles containing trees.

The park, designed in 2002 by the Jaume Coll and Judith Leclerc team of architects, sits on the large, concrete-slab roof of the local bus depot. Landscaping this roof gave the city an extra 20,000 m2 of green space and created a terrace with a panoramic view of Barcelona. It is organised into circles of varying diameters around which internal paths and those to the surrounding area are spread out. There are 26 of these circles, which are like craters, give order the park and set it apart.
The park stands out for its system of circumferences, which seems to arrange the circles of various diameters at random. Each circle acts as a funnel with a slight slope for collecting and recycling water.
The centre of these circumferences is aligned along five longitudinal axes, parallel to C/ Síndic Rahola, and each of these centres contains wrought-iron grids which act as drains collecting the flow of water towards the culverts running through the roof’s subsoil. This drainage system includes surface pipes and deep drains along the roof.

The Coll-Leclerc team’s project was shortlisted for the European Prize for Urban Public Space and the 3rd AJAC/COAC Young Architects Prize, as well as being selected for the 5th European Landscape Biennial.
The 26 circumferences that give order to the park contain a landscape plantation, lines of trees, an expanse of sand and flooring paved with concrete, carpeted with multicoloured rubber, or covered with grass and climbing ivy.
Areas and finishes worth pointing out include the children’s play area, a paved track, a picnic area and the landscaped spaces. The circles with plants invite visitors to partake in more contemplative activities, such as reading, picnicking or enjoying the panoramic views of the city. Circular wooden benches and metallic railings covering the perimeters help their contemplation.